fracturarpg | intro log.

Entry tags:

! intro

intro log.

welcome mingle

( AND SO IT BEGINS. )

There's nothing but the clatter of train tracks, and the odd feeling of almost floating.

When you wake, it's hard to tell exactly what it is that you're missing - only that you are. There are pieces that aren't quite right, even if you're not sure where those pieces would normally be. Pieces of what, exactly....? Well, if you had to put a word to it, it would be - yourself, probably.

The place you've found yourself in is strange, certainly. It's probably worth exploring a bit. Though it just as easily seems that the only form of welcome or explanation that you have, comes from nothing more than a slab of marble.

Well - that, and all the people who seem to have woken up alongside you, lost and also probably Doing Their Best™.

There's no need to fret that much though. It's hard to say exactly where you're going next, even though some places might feel a little bit more like a clue, but what you do know is one unshakeable thing:

There's still much more ahead of you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She's the proprietor of a bathhouse.

[For spirits, except he doesn't say that right now. Definitely not in front of a cultivator who does many things with spirits, nevermind it doesn't seem to be completely terrible.]

But I work for her, not her establishment. She has others for that.

[WHAT DOES HAKU THINK CULTIVATORS DO, GOOD LORD.]

A sorcerer running a bathhouse! Hah, now there's something I've never heard of before. Doesn't sorcery and magic conjure up the image of someone living alone in a cave in the mountains somewhere, sending flocks of crows out to get their shopping done for them?

[Or Wen Nings.]

[STOP, LEAVE NING ALONE.

And LOOK? Wei Wuxian just did a complete Mary Poppins with the leftover energy from the "curse" before claiming to be the one and only cultivator Haku has met so far right now. Clearly, cultivators = maybe on par with Yubaba and Zeniba.]

Yubaba doesn't make her money by living alone in a cave in the mountains. She does have a crow for a servant. She's greedy, but she's powerful and smart.

[Kin...da. It has her head, which is horrendous, but whatever.]

[LET HIM LIVE HIS BEST ZOMBIE LIFE as the pusher of a cart full of radishes and also Wei Wuxian. He's fine??]

Hoh... Aren't there plenty of horror stories out there about greedy sorcerers?

[None about sorcerers which have crow servants that have their master's heads, though. THAT'D BE THE REAL HORROR STORY.]

What need does a powerful sorcerer have for money, anyway? If that were me, I'd want to live as far away from anyone else as possible. I'd be pestered all the time, otherwise! She should consider settling down by a lake and getting into farming.

[That's his personal ideal future, honestly.]

[Well, lucky for Wei Wuxian, his crone woodland fairytale isn't completely whack:]

You're confusing Yubaba with her twin sister, Zeniba. She's the one who lives in the swamp on a farm. Yubaba prefers to run her bathhouse because the money gives her a comfortable lifestyle.

She's a sorceress, but she can't make gold. She still has to live. [Unfortunately, the ol' Ghibli grey area is here, too:] Without Yubaba, plenty of others wouldn't have work, and then they wouldn't survive themselves.

[DAMN he wishes he was Zeniba, honestly. THAT'S THE LIFE... He got to be a farmer once but it was on a mountain of corpses so does that really count??]

I see, I see... You have a point! I guess everyone needs money to survive in the end. [A sigh!] Even rogue cultivators do what they can for a handful of coins. It might just be easier being a spirit in the end, hah - at least when it comes to navigating the economy!

[Their Spirits Are Different.]

[WEI WUXIAN, PLEASE STOP KINNING OLD, WRINKLY WITCHES!!!!]

Being a spirit isn't as simple as you seem to think.

[But his eyes are hidden under his lashes, looking down.] This is why the bathhouse exists. It's for Yubaba to make money, but it's for the spirits. [The eyes lift, firm and resolute when he peer at Wei Wuxian. Unwavering.

And not quite the eyes of a young boy.]

[NO!! HIS SOUL IS THAT OF AN OLD WRINKLY WITCH!!

In either case, he doesn't seem that surprised by what's looking back at him - of course he doesn't. Wei Wuxian has one singular braincell but it can be observant, and he's particularly perceptive when it comes to the inhuman. His expression seems to soften a little, though. Minutely. In the end, he's a bit fonder of the supernatural, after all.]

Haha, certainly - a spirit in your world, having to earn a living? Tiring! I'd hate to end up dealing with more of the same.

[JUST LET HIM COME BACK AS A FIERCE CORPSE AND TERRORIZE PEOPLE oh wait.]

Do they like it there, then? Do you? I guess a bathhouse is one of the better places to be if you're going to be stuck working somewhere on the other side at all.

Don't misunderstand. Most spirits simply go and come as they please. The bathhouse is a respite. When night comes, they leave the human world for the spirit world.

[His gaze levels Wei Wuxian like before.]

The spirits like it. Tending to them is hard work, but the otherworldly ones who do it are paid and cared for. They have food and a place to sleep.

[Maybe not exactly "protection" since, like, some can get eaten.......and they're just replaced, but nevermind THAT.]

I don't mind it. I have a place to stay while I learn magic from Yubaba.

[Spirits are just out there being wild as hell in any world, wow. He tips his head from one side to the other, seeming to consider the hilarity and intrigue of a spirits-only bathhouse run by spirits, owned by a sorceress.]

Hm! That part is good, at least - that you don't mind it. [It's terrible being stuck somewhere you mind?? The worst.]

Your world really does sound interesting, though - I wouldn't mind seeing something like it someday. We don't have anything at all comparable where I come from!

[They just get angry demon statues and zombie floods and sad lost spirits with bashed-in skulls wondering why their head hurts and not realizing they're already dead.]

[Yea... it’s terrible...! Ha ha...!]

Humans aren’t meant to be there. [If this is a way to see if Wei Wuxian will correct him about perceived assumptions, it’s half true.] That world is hidden for a reason, and it isn’t any of your business.

[Seems the sour, somewhat straight-laced lil dude is still there. Wow, familiar.]

Don’t meddle in spiritual affairs.

[Hm. Set Haku free 2k19. Also, he loves this ancient kid?? He's like a lil grumpy sour patch...

Wei Wuxian doesn't correct anyone for anything, though. Some people already think he understands what instant ramen and DVD players are. It happens!! Instead, he just waves a hand airily, laughing off the response that honestly sounds like it could come from a babysitter talking to a meddlesome kid.]

Hah, such a serious face. You remind me a little of someone I know! [Ah, teen Lan Zhan, who was so easy to punk... How he misses you.]

But unfortunately, meddling in spiritual affairs is a part of the job! Though I really would prefer farming in the end, I think. [This is entirely untrue, but he waves his hands again after that, apparently incapable of staying still for .5 seconds.] Not that it matters one way or another now, though. No time to worry about seeing someone else's spiritual realm when we have all of this at hand. A whole new world to explore! So many new things to see! It's wonderful, isn't it?

[He's not sure whether he should be offended or not by reminding Wei Wuxian of someone else, so he just... continues to offer Wei Wuxian a very sour grapes sort of stare.]

Don't meddle unnecessarily into spiritual affairs.

[Damn nosy cultivating gremlin. He doesn't trust for a moment someone as into other people's business prefers farming. Listen, he looks twelve, but he's not stupid!]

No.

[Enjoy young Lan Zhan.]

I don't have any business here, and neither do you unless you're hiding something from the rest of us. If you get caught digging around, [maybe there's some wei ying in him, too, being a hypocrite] you'll end up cursing the rest of us.

[Wow anyone should feel honored to me reminiscent of Lan Wangji!! Though with how grumpy his staring is, he's honestly also reminded a little of Jiang Cheng in his sour, sour youth, too... What a wild combo.]

Everything I do is necessary!

[He says, lying like an absolute liar and not even bothering trying to hide that. He's just grinning away, god.]

And that just means I'll have to make sure I don't get caught then, doesn't it? Haha, it's not like there's much to explore that seems off-limits right now, anyway.

[HE'D KNOW, HE WENT LOOKING.]

[He peers skeptically at Wei Wuxian, but there is maybe a little glint of mischief in his eyes. Can’t believe the two of them converge at being snooping gremlins when Haku is MOSTLY a good boy.]

You think it’s off-limits because you can’t see the fence keeping us from the rest.

[Clearly, he’s not an actual boy because they don’t say stuff like this.]

Have you found anything?

["Mostly". INSIDE EVERY MOSTLY GOOD BOY THERE'S A TINY BIT OF PUNKASSERY!!

Or inside every ancient ye olde river spirit dragon masquerading as a boy, either way. IT'S FINE. He huffs out a little laugh, amusement dancing across his face.]

Hm, hm, wise words. But no! Not for a lack of trying. [He makes a vague handflappy gesture.] Have you tried opening any "doors" around here? That hasn't worked for me, either.

Not even Yubaba can summon transportation portals.

[So Haku definitely can’t either. But who needs that when you can transform into a dragon! Anyway, that has nothing to do with a door of escape.]

I doubt the doors will be so easy to find. If we’re meant to leave, it will be on this place’s terms. The pillar’s writing claims we can’t return home until we are fixed.

A spirit here didn’t tell you how to go back?

Oh! Is that so?

[BIZARRE considering transportation talismans are just A Thing in his world. Don't even need anything special, just a lot of qi. Wild.]

You're probably right about that, though, but there's no point in not giving it at least a try or two! [Or three or four, it's fine.] I'm not particularly in the habit of trusting every spirit or friendly pillar I come across, in any case - though I do like the faces that our pillar makes.

[The. The kaomojis.]

Anyway! I don't think I've found or spoken to anything that hasn't been found or spoken to by at least one other person. Except maybe the people themselves? Haha, some do seem so quiet. Lan Zhan will feel right at home!

[Damn Chinese magicians. Luckily, Wei Wuxian didn’t mention any of this talisman business to one greedy magic dragon. Yet. He does have his suspicions.]

Ah.

[He was probably being a lil shit. It’s fine. He will change his tune if he ever happens to see any cultivating.]

...Lan Zhan?

[Sometimes you're just a Chinese magician with a lot of wild shit and also grapefruits up your sleeves, ignoring people being lil shits since the dawn of time.

ON TO HIS FAVORITE TOPIC, THOUGH!!]

Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji! Have you met him yet? He's hard to miss! This tall- [HOLDS HIS HAND UP.] -and dressed all in white, like he's just attended a funeral, haha. The two of you would probably get along well!

[That's very fair. Not the grapefruits, though. That's disgusting.]

Ah. The man on the train. [Tall, dressed like an older Haku, stoic expression. Can't miss him.] I've met him.

You know him?

[STOP HE'S GONNA SAVE EVERYONE FROM GETTING SCURVY.

He seems delighted by this information, though. Terrible! Now it's his mission in life to get Haku and Lan Zhan to stand side by side so he can see how similar they really look... Too bad Haku is a sour patch kid and Lan Zhan has gone through so much that his soul has already risen out of his body and he just looks like a zen priest.]

The Second Jade of Lan! Who in my world doesn't? Haha, but yes, yes - we attended school together when we were young. He's a good friend of mine!

[Lan Zhan, crying in the distance.]

What did you think of him? Did you two get along?

[They may not look completely similar, but Haku unfortunately looks exactly like a budding, fledgling Gusu Lan. Sorta. The hair is kind of a bit too hime, and he lacks the longer robes, but it's fine.

The "title" does get his face to not be quite so sour. He doesn't know if there is a stronger connotation behind it or not, but... he's use to titles and airs with the spirit world. Lips thinning, he glances away with his eyes as if trying to downplay whatever he considers saying.]

He has sense, unlike some here. I find him agreeable, I guess.

[Just slap a forehead ribbon on him, get him some proper mourning clothes and it'll all be gucci.

WHAT A PUNK, THOUGH. A DOUBLE PUNK.]

Yes, yes, he's a very sensible man. A little too sensible sometimes! [How can one be too sensible...] I'm glad to hear it, though - he used to have a lot of trouble getting along with others when he was younger, you know? So funny! It's just because he used to wear this sour face all of the time, like he was tired of dealing with everyone around him. It's a bit like yours, actually!

[You can't ever be too sensible, Wei Wuxian. Trust him. He stays in a bathhouse full of morons.

As expected, he immediately gives Wei Wuxian a Look at the comparison. His face isn't so bad... damn! Though it's true, Haku and Lan Wangji kin when it comes to being tired of dealing with everyone around them. They suffer.]

How he looks isn't any of my concern. He's respectful and doesn't waste time filling the air with useless chatter.

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